Should Christians be guided by prophecies?

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Marcelo

Marcelo

Senior Member
#1
Feb 4, 2016
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#1
Suppose a Christian is considering whether to move to a new city or not. There, he would have better job opportunities, but he is doubtful about God's plan for his life. So, before the service in his Pentecostal church he earnestly prays for guidance. During the sermon the pastor (or elder) says: "a brother in here is seeking advice from God on whether to move away from this city. God says this brother may go because He has a plan for him in the new city".

I know a number of Christians who let themselves be guided by such prophecies and were successful, but I know some cases of negative results. I have no statistics on that because failures are almost never made public.

What do you folks think about that? Is it OK for Christians to let themselves be guided by such prophecies?
 
trofimus

trofimus

Senior Member
#2
Aug 17, 2015
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"What do you folks think about that? Is it OK for Christians to let themselves be guided by such prophecies?"

No.
 
dcontroversal

dcontroversal

Banned
#3
Dec 12, 2013
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Look, a true believer has the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the word of God...we need no man to tell us what God has for us in our lives......I have discovered in my own life that the first premonition is usually from the Holy Spirit and when I second guess I usually hose things up....Study the word, pray and go with your first premonition.....let God handle the rest bro.
 
Y

Yahweh_is_gracious

Guest
#4
#4
Interesting. There's a topic going right now talking about how a Christian knows that God is speaking to them, and this topic dovetails nicely. I'm genuinely curious what people have to say.
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#5
#5
Marcelo said:
Suppose a Christian is considering whether to move to a new city or not. There, he would have better job opportunities, but he is doubtful about God's plan for his life. So, before the service in his Pentecostal church he earnestly prays for guidance. During the sermon the pastor (or elder) says: "a brother in here is seeking advice from God on whether to move away from this city. God says this brother may go because He has a plan for him in the new city".

I know a number of Christians who let themselves be guided by such prophecies and were successful, but I know some cases of negative results. I have no statistics on that because failures are almost never made public.

What do you folks think about that? Is it OK for Christians to let themselves be guided by such prophecies?
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I wouldn't belong to such a church. Church is supposed to be God-driven, not Man-driven. When people are there to tickle my ear, my ear, and the rest of my body, leave.
 
Grace777x70

Grace777x70

Banned
#6
Nov 22, 2015
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The Lord speaks to us in our spirit - our new hearts in Christ.

When you give things over to the Lord and rest in the fact that it is God who is at work in you both to will and to do His good pleasure - your heart will want to do something and someone else from an outside source can "confirm" what is in your heart but never do anything without this witness in your heart first.

We are led by the Spirit of God - not people or fleeces. We live in the New Covenant where God dwells in our new hearts and this is where He speaks and confirms things.
 
Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#7
Feb 7, 2015
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#7
Yahweh_is_gracious said:
Interesting. There's a topic going right now talking about how a Christian knows that God is speaking to them, and this topic dovetails nicely. I'm genuinely curious what people have to say.
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I'm curious as to how some of us here have come to the conclusion that God is not allowed to use this method of giving answers.
 
dcontroversal

dcontroversal

Banned
#8
Dec 12, 2013
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Willie-T said:
I'm curious as to how some of us here have come to the conclusion that God is not allowed to use this method of giving answers.
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Would not a better question be....Why would we need to get an answer like this from a man when God will lead and guide ALL that follow him?

New American Standard Bible
As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.
 
J

john832

Senior Member
#9
May 31, 2013
11,365
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#9
Willie-T said:
I'm curious as to how some of us here have come to the conclusion that God is not allowed to use this method of giving answers.
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Deu 13:1 If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder,
Deu 13:2 And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;
Deu 13:3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
Deu 13:4 Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.
 
A

Ariel82

Guest
#10
#10
God can use His children where ever you are..new city or old city.

It's not a prophecy to say "Tomorrow the sun will rise."

In the Bible God would tell His prophets the name of the person to receive the prophecy, not just make a generic self fulfilling prophecy to a large crowd of people....that method is similar to how psychics work.

It's a technique called buckshot....make general statement that someone in the audience will relate to. Con artist use it to work the crowd.

Now if someone approached the person personally. Who hadn't heard or spoken to anyone about thinking of moving and told the person.."God wants you to move to____"

I would still pray about it, but is more the way it works in the Bible.
 
Y

Yahweh_is_gracious

Guest
#11
#11
Willie-T said:
I'm curious as to how some of us here have come to the conclusion that God is not allowed to use this method of giving answers.
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I can't tell if you are directing that at me as an accusation. You're very difficult for me to interpret most of the time when you quote my posts and reply to me.

I don't have an opinion one way or the other whether or not God speaks to people. Each of us has our own experiences, so I can only speak for myself, and my experiences are unique to me and my life. I don't think God has ever spoken to me. Maybe He has and I didn't "hear". Maybe He doesn't. I just don't know. I'm still curious to hear about other peoples' experiences though. I need a lot more info to help frame my own experience/lack of.
 
RickyZ

RickyZ

Senior Member
#12
Sep 20, 2012
9,635
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#12
Marcelo said:
Suppose a Christian is considering whether to move to a new city or not. There, he would have better job opportunities, but he is doubtful about God's plan for his life. So, before the service in his Pentecostal church he earnestly prays for guidance. During the sermon the pastor (or elder) says: "a brother in here is seeking advice from God on whether to move away from this city. God says this brother may go because He has a plan for him in the new city".

I know a number of Christians who let themselves be guided by such prophecies and were successful, but I know some cases of negative results. I have no statistics on that because failures are almost never made public.

What do you folks think about that? Is it OK for Christians to let themselves be guided by such prophecies?
Click to expand...
Actually, what you are describing is a word of knowledge, not prophecy. Prophecy takes the existing word of God and applies it to current circumstances. Words of knowledge step outside that a bit and give direction. Too, God says He will establish His word to us thru 2 or more witnesses, so a word such as the one described will be confirmed if it is true.

I'm curious why you placed this in a pentecostal church. They have no monopoly on the gifts, in fact I too often find them being 'forced' in these circles.
 
Grace777x70

Grace777x70

Banned
#13
Nov 22, 2015
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#13
I also think that it depends on the type of prophecy that is spoken over us - if it is from the Lord in the first place.

If our spirit bears witness with the prophecy in the first place - then we can use that prophecy to fight the fight of faith with. Especially when our minds are being assaulted with negative thoughts and the circumstances of life are screaming the opposite of what was spoken over us.

Paul told Timothy to use these prophecies to fight with.

1 Timothy 1:18 (NASB)
[SUP]18 [/SUP] This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight,
 
A

Adstar

Senior Member
#14
Jul 24, 2016
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#14
Marcelo said:
Suppose a Christian is considering whether to move to a new city or not. There, he would have better job opportunities, but he is doubtful about God's plan for his life. So, before the service in his Pentecostal church he earnestly prays for guidance. During the sermon the pastor (or elder) says: "a brother in here is seeking advice from God on whether to move away from this city. God says this brother may go because He has a plan for him in the new city".

I know a number of Christians who let themselves be guided by such prophecies and were successful, but I know some cases of negative results. I have no statistics on that because failures are almost never made public.

What do you folks think about that? Is it OK for Christians to let themselves be guided by such prophecies?
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Well if the prophecy has turned out to be false then the man was never a prophet of God.. Because prophets of God never fail in their prophecy..

Should a person follow the leading of a supposed prophet ??? Well that's up to them, I guess it all depends on ones confidence in the truth of that persons claim to being a prophet...
 
resurrection33

resurrection33

Banned
#15
Dec 19, 2009
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#15
Marcelo said:
Suppose a Christian is considering whether to move to a new city or not. There, he would have better job opportunities, but he is doubtful about God's plan for his life. So, before the service in his Pentecostal church he earnestly prays for guidance. During the sermon the pastor (or elder) says: "a brother in here is seeking advice from God on whether to move away from this city. God says this brother may go because He has a plan for him in the new city".

I know a number of Christians who let themselves be guided by such prophecies and were successful, but I know some cases of negative results. I have no statistics on that because failures are almost never made public.

What do you folks think about that? Is it OK for Christians to let themselves be guided by such prophecies?
Click to expand...
The example you site is so specific, it would be hard to ignore. However, I suspect most "prophecies" are far vaguer, and vague prophecies can always be interpreted in more than one way.

I would generally say that these are not really prophecies, but if I was considering a move to Tahiti, and had told no one, and the pastor said, "Someone in the congregation is thinking about moving to Tahiti, and this is what the Lord has to say about that ..." it would be hard to ignore, though why did the Lord tell him and not me?
 
tanakh

tanakh

Senior Member
#16
Dec 1, 2015
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#16
When I was about 30 I was told by an elderly Christian that when I am old I would be a Great Prophet. Well I am fairly old now! Nothing to report so far.
 
dcontroversal

dcontroversal

Banned
#17
Dec 12, 2013
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#17
Adstar said:
Well if the prophecy has turned out to be false then the man was never a prophet of God.. Because prophets of God never fail in their prophecy..

Should a person follow the leading of a supposed prophet ??? Well that's up to them, I guess it all depends on ones confidence in the truth of that persons claim to being a prophet...
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I cannot get past the Jim Jones, David Koresh, and Robert Tilton types......God will lead everyone of us and will lead us true....we all have that "unction" from the Holy One and either the Holy Spirit leads or it does not.......IMV
 
Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#18
Feb 7, 2015
22,418
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#18
dcontroversal said:
Would not a better question be....Why would we need to get an answer like this from a man when God will lead and guide ALL that follow him?

New American Standard Bible
As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.
Click to expand...
So, all that you know or follow has come strictly from thoughts that came to your mind? It doesn't work that way for me. I often SEE things, HEAR something, TASTE or SMELL something, even FEELING with my hands or some other part of my body... in other words, God often speaks to me through my senses, not just solely initiating a thought first in my brain.
 
dcontroversal

dcontroversal

Banned
#19
Dec 12, 2013
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#19
Willie-T said:
So, all that you know or follow has come strictly from thoughts that came to your mind? It doesn't work that way for me. I often SEE things, HEAR something, TASTE or SMELL something, even FEELING with my hands or some other part of my body... in other words, God often speaks to me through my senses, not just solely initiating a thought first in my brain.
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Willy, I never said that and the context was some guy claiming to be a prophet and prophesying about what one must do in their life.......serious?
 
A

Adstar

Senior Member
#20
Jul 24, 2016
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#20
dcontroversal said:
I cannot get past the Jim Jones, David Koresh, and Robert Tilton types......God will lead everyone of us and will lead us true....we all have that "unction" from the Holy One and either the Holy Spirit leads or it does not.......IMV
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I cannot disagree with anything you have said here.. Yes there have been many false prophets who people should have never followed and there are many false prophets today and sadly people are following them..
 
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